The Lithmus Swordsman
by natat
Summary: The Lithmus Swordsman proved to me just what it takes to be a hero.And that's what caused me to join him. Mentions of BastionTaniya and JadenAlexis


Authors Note: I've had this idea stuck in my head for a while, but never put it into writing.

**The Lithmus Swordsman**

I walked down the street at 11pm humming to myself. Another performance had proven to be a success. Now I could finally rest. Make no mistake, I enjoyed my studies, performing always was my favourite pastime, but it can be tiring. And so, I continued my short walk home.

Usually, I wouldn't see anyone on my way, but tonight, no such luck. I looked into the distance to see two figures. The first was a girl, probably about 18, about 5ft 6" with short red hair. The others figure was hidden in the darkness. This confused me, while it was night, the streetlights should have made him visible. I noticed that the girl was wearing something on her arm. Upon closer inspection, I noticed it to be a duel disk. I may not be a pro, but I know about the Duel Monsters game.

Shortly after my arrival, a sphere of dark energy was shot from the darkness and hit the girl, I saw a number, 800 if my memory serves correctly, lower to zero. And then, I saw something happen which I would never have braced myself for.

She collapsed.

On instinct, I rushed to her aid, and attempted to find a pulse. Nothing. No sign of breathing either. This was impossible, she was just playing a game, how did she just drop dead?

"She won't wake," a voice broke my thoughts, startling me. I turned to see the figure, "She's not dead, her soul's been sent to the shadows."

Of course, I wouldn't believe this in any normal situation, but after seeing what happened, I began to accept the possibility. Not that it made things any better, "Well, bring her back then!"

"Oh, I won't be doing that," was the reply, "I need to claim more victims to fulfil my master's wishes."

Without warning, a blast of dark energy, similar to the first made contact with my chest and I was thrown backwards. I attempted to get up, but fatigue, combined with a burning pain where the energy made contact with me, made it too difficult. I feared that I might meet the same fate.

"I thought I might meet you here."

I turned my head slightly to see the source of the new voice, as did the other figure. He stood at about 6ft and was dressed in a white shirt and trousers, with purple boots and gloves, a red cape that reached down to his knees and gold shoulder pads. He also wore something on his head, though if it was a hat, it was an usual one to be sure as it was gold and 'V' shaped. His face was also covered by a white mask, not unlike those sometimes used in the theatre. He spoke again, this time, his voice more forceful.

"Your master has taken too many victims in his time, I shall duel you, with my soul on the line. If I win, the girl is freed."

The other person snickered, "Fine, I've always wondered how I'd fair against the Lithmus Doom Swordsman!"

The duel was relatively short, Lithmus, as I called him for short, emerged the victor. The other duellist collapsed and the girl woke up, shocked by otherwise unharmed. The swordsman approached the girl.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly. The girl stood up and look between us. I had managed to get up while she was doing so.

"Yes I am, thanks to the two of you, I'll never forget this!"

It took a while for me to register what she had said, I tried to call to her but she already left.

"I… didn't do anything."

I turned to Lithmus. Or, at least, tried to, but he'd also vanished.

Shaking my head, I headed home once again, this time uninterrupted.

The next morning, I wasn't feeling my best, partly because my chest still ached. At least, on the plus side, I was only helping the technician that day. He was fairly tall, with spiked black hair who dressed in yellow, which he said was from his days at Duel Academy. I spent my time working with him more focused on the previous night than on what he was telling me though. Luckily, the technician, Bastion, was patient and independent.

At the lunch break, however, he spoke to me, "You don't seem to be yourself today, is something wrong?"

I hesitated, but after realising that he probably wouldn't believe me if I told him, lied, "It nothing, I'm just a little tired, that's all."

In my mind, however, I was already formulating a plan, if Lithmus went where there was trouble, then I had to seek out the enemy, only this time, I'd be prepared. That is, once I remembered where I put my deck."

Bastion's voice broke my trail of thoughts, "I think you better go and rest, I can take care of everything here, I'll see you later."

I left, mumbling a 'thanks'.

That night I walked out into the street, wearing a backpack with my duel disk and cards inside, looking for any sign of Lithmus. Of course, I found an enemy duellist first. This time, I rose to the challenge, and managed to win. Afterwards I realised that Lithmus had appeared during the course of the duel and had watched me.

"Impressive," he said, "You handle your deck well, but I'm quite unsure about what you're doing here in the first place. Aren't you the same person that was here last night?"

"Yeah, that's me," I admitted, "Actually, I was trying to find out more about you, so I decided to find you."

"I would have been here sooner," he replied, "But there were two tonight. Still," he shrugged, "looks like you didn't really need my help."

I had an idea, "Do you need any help? I'm sure that saving people every night must get tiring, I mean, I'm sure you work by day?"

"You are correct, but are you sure? You are aware you'll be putting your life at risk?"

I nodded

He sighed, "You'd need a disguise, doesn't help if people know who you are, otherwise you could get targeted."

I nodded, "Makes sense, I'll think of something."

"With your help, I can take out the master tomorrow. I believe he's using Panik, a former worker for Pegasus as a right hand man. That's where you'll come in, I'll give you more details tomorrow."

As he walked off, I called, "Wait! How will you find me?"

"I have my way."

The next afternoon I went into the changing rooms to practise my script where it was quite (with the performance finished they weren't in use). Shortly after, however, I noticed a Duel Monsters card on the table. I looked at it.

Swordsman of Doom Lithmus.

Following recent event I was certain that this wasn't a coincidence. I failed to notice Bastion walking through the door.

"Oh, there you are!"

"Bastion," I picked up the card, "Do you know who left his here?"

"Oh that," he said, smiling, "that's one of mine."

Okay, so I wasn't expecting that. Either way, Bastion helped me sort out a costume for assisting him. Using half a stage mask, I painted a flame on it, adding a red shirt and trousers, a cape with a flame design and a single glove, with a flame logo. Once complete, I had my new identity.

The Solar Flare Dragon, shortened to Flare.

"And we're done," Bastion concluded after explaining the mission, "We begin at 10."

"Forgive me for asking," one thing was still bugging me, "But how did you end up doing this."

"Long story," he stated.

"I'm listening."

"During my first year, I was selected to represent the school in fighting seven riders in order the save the school along with six friends. These riders used the same shadow game that you took part in yesterday. I faced the third, but became distracted and lost. I ended up falling for my opponent. In my second year I feared being ignored and lost sight of my goals, leaving the school, but along with the school, winded up in another dimension, reunited with Taniya, the rider I duelled. We all escaped, and darkness took over. Taniya and I assisted in fighting and, alongside a student named Jaden, left on our own. However, some duels go to death as opposed to the shadows, and Taniya fell."

"What about Jaden?" I felt I had to ask, worried despite never meeting him.

"He's travelling, last thing I heard, he visits on occasion, we teamed up a couple of times."

"I'm sorry about Taniya."

Bastion looked down and I could barely hear his next words, "A true warrior to the end, I'll never forget her. Now I just work to protect, so there are no more losses."

The mission that night went smoothly, and with out combined forces, we were able to eliminate additional threats when they arrived. For the most part in the future, we alternated each night, giving the other time to rest, and things stayed that way.

Until that one night.

There was only the one threat, so I was one my own, my opponent was an earth deck user when I noticed something.

I was defending the same girl as when I first saw Bastion as Lithmus. When the duel was done she approached me.

"Thank you yet again! Though, I've improved my duelling skills from last time."

At that point I thought, _does she have the same idea I had?_

"It must be tiring working, just the two of you, I can become the D.D Warrior Lady!"

"Ermm," I stammered, "I'll see what Lithmus has to say"

Thing carried on that way, we saved whoever was in trouble, and every so often, we recruited someone in the process. I ended up opening my home as a meeting point, as did Bastion and D.D., who I later learnt was named Jenny. At one of the Meetings, Bastion spoke to me.

"There's two people I'd like you to meet, Neos and Doomfire, they started recruiting after hearing what had happened here."

'Neos' turned out to be none other than the same Jaden who Bastion had mentioned earlier and Doomfire was a former student from West Academy named Axel Brodie, who were joining our group for a while as theirs were working well and they wanted to be with old friends.

Needless to say, there was bound to be a problem eventually.

As Bastion said, some duels are to the death, depending on the enemy.

The unfortunate hero was a man in his mid 20's, who had taken the name 'Chaos Command Magician.'

His death had caused a wave of doubt among the members. Seeing the death of the close one was much different to simply hearing the possibility. It was then I realised why Bastion fought on after losing Taniya, what he was protecting us from.

Shortly after, Bastion, Jaden, Axel and I talked to the members persuading those with loved ones to leave. Some of our members were couples, which had more to lose but were more reluctant to leave. Soon after, I heard Bastion talking to Jaden.

"I see, well, I can't say I'm surprised Jaden, I knew it was a matter of time. You know what must be done."

"I know, protecting Lex must be my top priority, thank you for all you've done."

"It was my pleasure."

Jaden left that night, and I new that it thing would only get harder. It was all a question of who was next to leave. Even I couldn't predict the next departure. It was the last person I'd expect.

It was me.

Not just me, Jenny too. Shortly after the event, she admitted that she had fallen for me and we became a couple. I new what had to be done, I'd told many of the other.

"Don't feel bad about leaving," Bastion attempted to ease my worries, "If it wasn't for you, this force of heroes would never have happened."

I bowed, "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be alive, nor would Jen, or many of our heroes. Many believe that this is my doing, being the first to join, but I only joined because of you. You showed me the truth about being a hero, I've never met someone who, going through what you have, only thinks of others."

After leaving, I saw Bastion less than before, I later learnt that he was trying to tackle the enemy solo, like he had done once before. He still had allies, Axel and others stayed loyal, he just didn't want to lose anyone else.

I still felt guilty for leaving. I kept my costume, though wasn't sure why. Soon after, I received a call from Axel.

"Hello"

"Flare?" Typical, he never did use my real name, even after I left.

"That's me."

"Listen, something's up. There's an army of Shadow duellist's. We don't know where they're from but Bastion's trying to take them all."

I didn't reply, taking the information in. I soon realised, he was trying to be like Taniya and Chaos, but without him…

"Is anyone going after him?"

"Yes, we're all with him 'till the end, Neos is back."

"Wait, what?" I shouted back, "What about Lex?"

"Joined us, old friends have gathered together, we have quite the force."

I turned round to see Jenny, holding our costumes.

"Just thought I'd let you know, since you won't see us in a while."

I looked at Jenny, who nodded, and gave my reply. After all Bastion's saved that many of us, it's our turn to save him.

"Well, Doomfire, just to let you know, D.D and I are on the way."

**End of Story**

Alright, if you have anything to say, feel free to review.


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